BEFORE THEE, GOD, WHO KNOWEST ALL
"Lord, be merciful unto me...for I have sinned against Thee." Psalms
41:4
Words: Magnus Brostrup Landstad, 1861; translated from Norwegian to
English by Carl Døving, 1909.
Music: "Vater Unser" (Our Father), Geistliche Lieder, Leipzig,
Germany, 1539; harmony by Johann Sebastian Bach, 1726.
Before Thee, God, Who knowest all,
With grief and shame I prostrate fall,
I see my sins against thee, Lord,
The sins of thought, of deed, and word.
They press me sore; I cry to Thee:
O God, be merciful to me!
O Lord, my God, to Thee I pray:
O cast me not in wrath away!
Let Thy good Spirit ne'er depart,
But let Him draw to Thee my heart
That truly penitent I be:
O God, be merciful to me!
O Jesus, let Thy precious blood
Be to my soul a cleansing flood.
Turn not, O Lord, Thy guest away,
But grant that justified I may
Go to my house at peace with Thee:
O God, be merciful to me!